ZEBRA BOOKS

      KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

       http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Epilogue

      Chapter One

      “Why would he take her?”

      Those rough, rumbled words carried a dose of suspicion—and accusation. Equal parts nervous and concerned, Robert Burns swallowed hard. He was a man of influence, damn it, a man of wealth and standing with his own source of power.

      This man-for-hire, a grunt that now worked for him, would not intimidate him.

      It didn’t matter that Clint Evans wore an aura of danger as thick and suffocating as an electrical storm, or that his eyes were so…Jesus, his eyes were so sharp they seemed to cut right through Robert.

      Forcing himself to lounge back in his chair, Robert feigned an insouciance that eluded him.

      Evans’s reputation hadn’t been exaggerated. This man was more than capable of killing. Robert could see that just by looking at him, and it suited his purposes even as it set his nerves jangling.

      “I can’t think of anyone else it could be.” That much was true, because as far as Robert knew, Julie had no enemies.

      But he did, and now he’d been reduced to a man he didn’t recognize, a man he couldn’t respect. That thought made him ill, but it was still possible that he’d get Julie back unharmed and be rid of some trouble at the same time.

      Robert lowered his head in what he hoped looked like hesitation, when in fact he teemed with frustration. The ransom note, now somewhat crumpled and smudged, rested on his desktop as an ugly, grim reminder of what his life had become. He detested himself for what he planned to do, but damn it, he had no alternative.

      “I hate to admit it,” Robert murmured low, “but Julie’s something of a…tease.” He sighed and raised his face. “Her father did his best with her, but she’d do things, see…certain men, just to enrage him, just to prove he had no real authority over her. After his death, well, she seems to enjoy dishing the same provocation onto Drew.”

      “Drew?”

      “Drew Johnson, her uncle, the executor of her trust fund and the man now forced to monitor her behavior.” When Clint said nothing, Robert felt compelled to explain further. “Drew and her father were close, as family and as business partners. He loves Julie, never doubt that. But she’s always done just as she pleased regardless of how it damaged the family name.” He shrugged. “Sometimes it pleased her to flirt with danger.”

      “You’re saying she got snatched because she flirted with the wrong man?”

      “It’s possible. She’s done it before. Once she even had a liaison with a stable hand.”

      A funny expression, almost like satisfaction, passed over Clint’s hard face. “Do tell.”

      Robert shook his head. “It was a huge scandal, and Julie wouldn’t even bother to deny it to anyone, not even the press. She almost seemed to enjoy the untoward attention.”

      Amusement brought a crooked smile to one side of Clint’s unhandsome face.

      Robert scowled at the awful ransom note. “It’s possible she’s been up to her old tricks, and now she’s gotten herself into trouble. That’s all I can come up with.”

      “You think she flirted with Asa Ragon?”

      Swallowing down his uneasiness, Robert began his fabrication of the facts. “After the note, there was…one phone call.”

      A new alertness entered Clint’s already intimidating expression. “What was said?”

      Robert wanted to back up a step. He wanted to stop now, to call it quits. But he couldn’t. “Only that I should wait to hear from the kidnapper. He said he’d call and give me a time and place to take the money.”

      “That was in the note. Why make a call if there wasn’t anything new to add?”

      “He wanted to reiterate that if I involved the cops, or anyone else, they’d kill her.” Robert gulped, and tried to appear convincing. “The voice…It sounded like Asa.”

      “You’ve met him?”

      “Yes,